Sinkholes threaten to swallow Brazilian city

Brasília [Brazil], February 22: According to Reuters, the government of the Brazilian city of Buriticupu has declared a state of emergency after giant sinkholes up to several meters deep recently appeared in the area.
The city has a population of 55,000 and the homes of about 1,200 of them are at risk of being swallowed up.
"Over the past few months, the size of the sinkholes has increased exponentially, coming significantly closer to residential areas," said an emergency decree issued by the city government earlier this month about the sinkholes. Several buildings have been destroyed.
The people of Buriticupu have witnessed geological problems over the past 30 years, as rains erode the sandy soil, alongside deforestation and unplanned construction.
The problem is getting worse as rains get heavier, as they are now, according to geographer Marcelino Farias, a professor at the Federal University of Maranhao (Brazil).
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper